Plug.



D. D. GORDON. PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED M-AR. 6, 1916.

Patented 7, 1917.

2 SHE HEET I.

7, ZU l- DAVID D. GORDON, or' CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGN'OR TO BENJ'MINAELECTRIC MANU- IEAGITU'RING` COMPANY, 0FCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

- PLUG. A

' Specification of Letters Patent.

retreated nog. t, iai t'.

Aapplication niet March s, 1916. 4serial No. 82,339.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID D. GORDON, a citizen of the United States,residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Plugs, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, form1ng a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to attachmentplugs and more particularly to thatstyle of attachment plug known as a separable attachment plug. Myinvention more particularly is an improvement over my application SerialNo. 82,388,1iled March 6, 1916.

My invention further has for its object the provision of a separableattachment plug of this nature which at the same time may be of theswivel type. In general, my plug consists of whatmight be called twobody members which are separable, one of the body members having meanswhereby it may be held in the socket and having a conducting portionforming part of the electrlcal connections for one side of the circuit,the other body member having means for connecting with this saidconducting portion, and having at the same time a further conductingportion adapted directlyto engage one of the socket terminals.

In one form ofthe device as above set forth, these two body members whenthey are in contact making position in the socket, and also when removedtherefrom, are adapted for relative rotation, thus making them of theswivel type.

I will explain specifically two forms of carrying out these two' ideasmore in detail by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which`Figure l is a sectional view ofA a socket having jmounted therein a plugconstructed in accordance with my invention;

Fi 2 is an end View of one of the ybody mem ers of the socket;

Fig. 3 is an end view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modiied formof thebody member structure; A V

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on lineA a-a of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sidevicw of the plug shown in Fig. l; y

Fig. G is a sectional view of a modified formf of plug;

7 is a detailV of constructiom'and F1g. 8 is an end view of the member 6showing the construction of the members through which electricalconnection is made. eferrlng more particularly to Fig. 1, I show asocket 1 having the central contact 2 andthe outer or screw threadedcontact 3. This socket is adapted to accommodate my improved plugmembers 5 and 6. These body members are separable. The body member 5 isprovided with a screw threaded periphery throughout a portion of itslength as shown at 7 so that 1t may be held in the socket. The said bodymember also is grooves 8 adapted to accommodate a conducting spring 9,which conducting spring 9 is mounted upon the body member 6. The grooves8 continue through the iin'ger piece 10, preferably as holes 11 throughwhich the spring 9 may be inserted in position. The spring' 9, as shown,has a shoulder at 12 by which the two body members a-re normally lockedtogether when they are in the position shown in Fig. 1. The contactspring 9, as shown, is adapted to directly engage the outer screwthreaded portion of the socket, there being no conducting portions forthat particular side of the circuit provided upon thebody member 5. Thebody member has preferably, although not necessarily, a conductingportion 13 which is adapted to receive the conducting element 141 whichis mounted upon the body member 6. This conducting portion 14 isinserted through the central opening 15 of the body member 5 and then isnormally adapted to make electrical; Contact with the element 13. It maybe desired, however, to omit any conducting portion upon the body 5, inwhich event the conducting rod 14 may directly engage the centralcontact 2 of the socket. In that event I should prefer to use theconstruction shown in Fig. 7 where the conducting rod 14a is providedwith a resilient extremity 15, which is normally pushed outwardly by thespring 16, being prevented from relative displacement from the rod 14aby the pin 17 operating in the grooves 18. Thus a good contact would beassured for the center connection, the spring 9 holding the plugportions `4together as stated, or other suitable grasping means providedto hold the body portions yieldingly together. The body portion 5 isprovided with a plurality or" 4, which plug has the body I dished asshown at 19 so 'as to permit ready insertion of the rod 14. A pluralityof holes 11 are provided so that only fortyfive degrees, for instance,would be required to turn the body portion lwhen 1nserting said bodyportlon 1n position. s

It will be noticed that the structure is to this extent practicallysymmetrical as more than one spring 9 could be employed to make itsymmetricahif:l so "desired, although one is for practical purposessufiicient at the present time. There is thus a practically symmetricalarrangement and no difficulty would be .experienced by theinexperienced' operator in attaching the two portions of the plugtogether. p

In Figs. 3 and 4, it will be more clearly seen that in this modied formthe space between the holes 11 is constructed on the hill and'valleyorder so that a guide is afforded the conducting spring 9 toward anyhole whenever connection is attempted.

In Fig. 6 I show a modified form of plug in which I am enabled toproduce a plug which is not only of the separable type, but which isalso of the swivel type, in that the body member 6a may "swivelrelatively to the body member 5*1 both whenever the plug is in thesocket or when it is out of the socket. The construction may of coursebe such that the body member 5a carries contacts or does not carrycontacts las may be desired. By thus swiveling the two elements of theplug the advantages of havino' the cord remain untangled are obtaine Thebody member 5a may then merely serve as a sort of guide to properlydirect the conducting portions of the body member 6.a and serving at thesame time as a base about which the body member 6a may swivel. In theparticular form shown the body member 5a has spring clips 20 to morethoroughly hold the head 21 of the rod 14. As before stated, this rod 14may again be replaced by such a structure as shown in Fig. 7 in whichcase a spring 20 may be absent, for conducting purposes, or may servemerely as clasps vto yieldingly hold the body members together, althoughin this particular structure other means are shown for performing thisfunction in the shape of the springs 9a. The rod 14 is again secured ton thebody portion 6 and the spring 9 is also secured to said bodyportion 6a. The .body member 5 has a groove 21a which is ada ted -tocooperate with the bent portion 22 o the spring 9u to yieldingly holdthe two portions of the plug togpther. It will be seen from thisstructure that the body members,

5.a.nd 6a are arranged for relative rotation, thus providing what may becalled a separable and swivel attachment plug. In some forms of thedevice, of course, it is desired to have a swivel plug to preventtangling of the connecting cords.

. From what has been described it is .thought the nature of my inventionwill be readily clear to those skilled in the art.'

Having however thus described one form what I claim which my inventionmay take, l Letters Patas new and desire to secure by ent is: p l

l. A connecting device of the character described comprising twoseparable body members, one of said body members having means adapted tohold it in a socket, said other body member having two contact terminalsboth of which areadapted to engage the terminalsof said socket, andmeans for yieldingly locking said body members together, whereby saidsecond aforesaid body member is detachable from said rst aforesaid bodymember when said first aforesaid body member is within a socket.

2. A connecting device of the character described comprisinr twoseparable body members, one of said body members being adapted forprimary insertion in a socket and having means adapted to. hold it insaid socket, said other body member having two contactterminals one ofwhichis adapted to directly engage one of the terminals of said socket,and the other one of which is concentrically located with respect tosaid connecting device, and means for yieldingly locking said bodymembers together, wheremembers, one of said body members having meansadapted to hold it in a socket, said other body member having twocontact terminals one of Whichis adapted to directly engage one of theterminals of said socket, and the other one of which is concentricallylocated with 4respect to said connecting device, and means foryieldingly locking said body members together, said first aforesaid bodymember having a cut away portion to accommodate the firstaforesaidcontact terminal.

4. A connecting device of the character described comprising twoseparable body members, one of said body members .having means adaptedto hold it in a socket, said l other body memberhaving two contactelements both of which are adapted to engage the terminals of saidsocket, and means for yieldingly and rotatably locking said body memberstogether, whereby said second aforesaid body member is detachable fromsaid first aforesaid body member when said first aforesaid body memberis within a socket.

5. A connecting device of the Character described comprising twoseparable body members, one of said body members being adapted forprimary insertion in a socket and having means adapted to hold it insaid socket, said other body member having two contact terminals one ofwhich is adapted to directly engage vone of the terminals of saidsocket, and the other one of which is located with respectto saidconnecting device,

' locking said body members together, said first aforesaid body memberhaving a cutaway portion to accommodate the first aforesaid contactterminal.

7. A connecting device of the vcharacter described comprising twoseparable body members, oneof said body members having means adapted tohold it in a socket, said other body member having two contact elementsboth of which are adapted toengage the terminals of saidsocket, andmeans for yieldingly and rotatably locking said body members together,said first aforesaid body -member having means to guide the second bodymember into its contact making position. l

8. A vconnecting device of the character described comprising twoseparable body members, one of said body members having means adapted tohold it in a socket, said other body member having two Contact terminalsone of which is adapted to directly engage one of the terminals of saidsocket, and the other one of which is concentrically located withrespect to said connecting device, and means for yieldingly androtatably lookin .said body members together, said first a oresaid bodymember having means to guide the second body member into its contactmaking position.

9. A connecting device ofthe character described comprising twoseparable body members, one of said body members having means adapted tohold it in a socket, said other body member having two contact terminalsone of which is adapted to directly engage one of the terminals of saidsocket, and the other one of which is concentrically located withrespect to said connecting device, and means for yieldingly androtatably locking. said Vbody members together, said first aforesaidbody member having a cut-away portion to accommodate and means foryieldingly and rotatablyV the first aforesaid contact terminal, saidfirst aforesaid body member having means to guide the second body memberinto its contact making position.

l0. A connecting device of the character v described comprising twoseparable body members, one of said body members having means adaptedvto hold it in a socket, said other body member having two yieldingcontact terminals both of which are adapted to engage the terminals ofsaid socket, and means for yieldingly locking said body memberstogether, whereby said second aforesaid body member is detachable fromsaid first aforesaid body member when said irst aforesaid body member iswithin a socket.

11. A connecting deviceof the character described comprising twoseparable body members, one of said body members being adapted forprimary insertion in a socket and having means adapted to hold it insaid socket, said other bod member having two yielding contact terminalsone of which is adapted to directly engage one of the terminals of saidsocket, and the other one of which is concentrically located withrespect to said connecting device, and means for yieldingly locking saidbody members together, whereby said first aforesaid body member whenceive and retain said second body member in position.

12. A connecting device of the character ldescribed comprising twoseparable body members, one of said body members having means adapted tohold it in a socket, said other body member having two yielding contactterminals one of which is adapted to directly engage one of theterminals of said socket, and the other oneof which is concentricallylocated with respect to said connecting device, and means for yieldinglylocking said body members together, said first aforesaid body memberhaving a cutaway portion to accommodate the first aforesaid contactterminal.

13. A connecting device of the character described comprising twoseparable body members, one of said body members having means adapted tohold it in a socket, said other body member having two yielding contactelements both of which are adapted to engage the terminals of saidsocket, and means whereby said body members are rotatably and yieldinglyheld together, wherebysaid second aforesaid body member is detachablefrom said first aforesaid body member when said first aforesaid bodymember is within, a socket.

14. A plug of the character described adapted for insertion in a socket,comprisling two separable body members, one of said body membersbeingadapted for primary insertion in said socket and having means inposition is' adapted to readapted to hold it therein, means'whereby saidother body member may be moved into its coperating position vwith saidfirst' aforesald body member and held in rotative association therewithwhen said first aforesaid body member is in position in the socket, saidother body member carrying 4 contact elements directi engaging the con-25 contact elements for establishin circuit conditions with said socket,both o said contact elements directly engaging the conducting portionsof said socket.

15. A. lug of the character described adapted or lnsertion ina socket,comprising two separable body members one of said body members beingadapted insertion in said socket and having means adapted to hold ittherein, means whereby for primary maaier aforesaid body member whensaid rst 2o aforesaid body member is in position in the socket, saidother body member carryin contact elements for establishing cirf cuitconditions with said socket, both of said ductingv portions of saisocket.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 21st 'day ofFebruary, A. D. 1916.

Vhavin n. eonnon.-

